Before departing from Palm Springs, we checked the weather to ensure that temperatures at our next destination would remain within a tolerable range. After all, it is called Death Valley. We found that the temperatures were indeed acceptable, so that was where we would head next. Most of the campgrounds in the park are first-come-first-serve, so we’ll have to take our chances.

Attention: Vegas is Straight Ahead

A big chunk of our drive from Palm Springs to Death Valley was all about heading east on I-15 towards Vegas. Even though we were still about 150 miles away, the billboards for casinos and attractions were everywhere. Most of them were the usual size, but the one below really caught our eye from far away. No banana for scale, but trust me, it’s very large.

One Big Thermometer

We also started seeing billboards along I-15 for alien jerky up the road. Well, that certainly sounded interesting to these two adventurers that will stop for almost anything out of the ordinary. As we arrived in Baker, California we learned it is home to not only alien jerky, but also the world’s largest thermometer. So naturally, we had to stop to snap a photo. Lisa was a bit disappointed that it was digital rather than analog.

Aliens Have Arrived in California

We didn’t even need to head out to Area 51 to bump into aliens; just swinging by the Alien Fresh Jerky store was way closer and more fun. There were quite a few quirky alien-themed buildings abound, but only the jerky shop was open for business. It was a blast to stroll around and check out the UFOs and other ”alien” artifacts!

Historic Hotel and Opera House

Our next stop on the road to Death Valley was a ghost town of sorts, with a once popular Amargosa Hotel and Opera House located at Death Valley Junction. It apparently was quite the place for the elite when the Borax mining business in Death Valley was booming. A woman by the name of Marta Becket took over the opera house in the late 1960’s, fixed up the place, and began doing shows both with and without audiences. Her ghost is said to still be around these parts. We were able to see some of her murals and opera dresses, but there was no sign of Marta.

Sea Level

The last stretch of our trip to Death Valley was a wild downhill ride. Seriously, it was all downhill! The road signs kicked off showing we were at 4,000 feet up, then dropped to 3,000, then 2,000, and so on, until we hit sea level. There’s more to go downhill from here, but that’ll have to wait until our next blog post.